


Stuck in Time

by Lunki



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Reality, Drama & Romance, F/F, Medical Trauma, Mystery, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-11 03:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10454388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunki/pseuds/Lunki
Summary: Max granted Chloe's last wish to save the people of Arcadia Bay, only to find out that fate has other plans. The freckled girl finds herself stuck in a time loop which is slowly corrupting her mind, having to relive the same insane week over and over again. She have to find a way out from this abyss before it's too late.





	1. Stuck in Time

"I'm so glad you're my partner in crime."

"As long as you're my partner in time," said the blue haired girl with a smirk.

* * *

A loud voice of thunder crashed down upon her like a heavy burden as she took the small pathway leading up to the lighthouse. As the girl pushed forward, struggling against the pouring rain and cold wind on her skin, a pinetree crashed down behind her back blocking the path where she came from.

"There's no going back now." Max felt like some ominious force tried to send her a message but she had no intention of turning back anyway.

The fragile looking girl got soaking wet and shivering from the cold as she reached the cliffside. But it didn't seem to disorient her as she knew exactly what had to be done.

"I… I have to break this cycle or I will be forever stuck in time without my knowledge on everything. Just how many times have I been here?" She asked as a strong sensation of 'Déjá vu' struck her.

Max simply knew this was neither the first nor the second time of her standing at the cliff watching an EF5 tornado obliterating Arcadia Bay right below her feet. And yet it felt like something was missing or rather… someone. But she couldn't place the feeling. The girl quickly reached for a photo in her bag feeling her courage was fading away with every passing moment. Actually it was her selfie, a bittersweet reminder of a naive and carefree girl from the past. A part of her cherished the thought that soon she will become her old self again even if it's only meant for a short time. As she stared at the photo it started to resonate in her mind hearing voices from the past like a whisper. But suddenly the girl looked away in fear because she recognized the voice. It was the art teacher who she once admired and secretly even had a crush on. Only to find out that he was a psychopath kidnapping girls for his sick desires much later on.

"I can't afford to be scared right now." She shooked her head in desperation, trying to whisk away the bad memories that haunted her. But then all her regrets came to the surface in a form of never ending tears lost in the rain.

"So this is it… I'm so sorry Chloe… I tried so hard to… to make things different for you. You trusted me and I abandoned you again just like 5 years ago…"

"But... I only did what you asked me for. You were so brave, willing to sacrifice yourself for the people of Arcadia Bay." A part of her even hated the punk because she felt the decision was forced on her. Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

"Fuck that! It wasn't a choice to begin with. I was so naive believing that I can save everyone by letting you die." Fate have a cruel taste of humour that's for sure. Only one week has passed since Chloe's funeral and the storm is back, ravaging everything in it's path once again. Max couldn't explain how or why but she was convinced that this tornado was even bigger than before.

_Have I totally fucked up time?_

The question was poetic as she already knew the answer. All of a sudden a mix of sorrow and guilt was starting to get a hold over the poor girl's body what felt like claws tearing apart her insides. Max always wanted to do the right thing. To save everyone. How could she gave up on Chloe then? The girl saw the blue haired punk die so many times she lost count. She became a shell of her former self after the events of that insane week. The shy and innocent girl who came to Blackwell with high expectations about her future was nowhere to be found now. Broken and scattered beyond repair just like time itself. Did the time travel fucked up her mind so bad? No, it's not only that. The fact that she had to leave her partner in crime to her fate broke something inside of her. When the brunette saw the blue butterfly landing on the casket of her best friend she took it as a sign of making the right decision even if it was painful to accept. It was just enough to not regret her choice and change history once more as she respected Chloe's last wish. That was until the storm struck the little town of Arcadia again. Of course, Max blamed herself for not even trying to warn the people of the coming danger, when the signs were clearly there. Everything repeated itself, first the snow then the eclipse, beached whales and so on. Maybe deep inside she hoped, that all of this won't matter after she goes back in time to change the past, but she wasn't ready to face her demons yet.

"In the end all I ever achieved was the death and destruction of those I truly cared about. Why all of this happening to me? I never asked for this power in the first place…" She said it between her sobs, not expecting an answer but someone responded like a distant echo from a nightmare. Or was it something else?

 _"_ _That might be true... but you still kept using it like a toy._ _"_ The brunette recognised the voice as her own but it sounded twisted, cynical and more importantly, evil.

_"_ _Thought you're special, huh? Just tell me something. Was this all worth it Max? Do you feel like a hero yet? Twisting time around your fingers for your precious punk Chloe, who never understood what you went through for her…_ _"_

"Shut up! I should have never listened to you. You manipulated me to sacrifice my best friend over this cursed town, which caused pain and suffering for so many."

 _"_ _Manipulated you? Now that's funny coming from you who tried to control everyone as she pleased. Oh dear, it was your own choice. It's time for you to face reality, our reality._ _"_

"I won't listen to your bullshit anymore. This is not my reality, not anymore."

_"_ _Man, you are so stupid. How many times do you want to relive the same week over and over again? I'm embarrassed to have the same name._ _"_

The last sentence struck a nerve in the girl. Making her doubt herself _._

"What…what are you talking about?"

_"Oh my.._ _. Have you already forgot? I am you dumbass, or the Other Maxes you left behind. And sorry to break it to you, but you're also part of the problem, a huge part in fact... Have you ever thought about that? Of course you haven't. Otherwise we wouldn't be here talking in ourselves._ _"_

She was terrified from the thought that the "Other Max" could have been real, but from other timelines which she messed up with her rewind power. What if she created new timelines with every rewind? For a moment it felt like her head is about to explode from all those ill thoughts. But then she remembered why was it so important to come here. The voices disappeared from her head so she could focus on her mission.

 _Stop messing around Max! You need to save Chloe!_ The small girl managed to pull herself together. If fate or whatever higher power wanted to destroy Arcadia Bay so much, then she was ready to let it happen… but not to her Chloe, not anymore.

"Whoa! No!" Just when she was finally ready to travel back through the photo, the tornado caught up a small fishing boat, wrecking the top of the lighthouse with it. Max could see the falling debris heading towards her in slow-motion.

 _Oh shit! Am I gonna die now? No, I can't let that happen, not until I saved Chloe at least._ With that being said, the girl quickly took a glance at the photo resonating in her mind again just until everything went white around her.

* * *

"Shh, I believe Max has taken what you kids call a selfie..." Mr. Jefferson continued his lecture after a short pause, when he noticed the instant camera spit out the polaroid photo with Max's face on it.

 _"_ _I knew you were special the second I saw your first 'selfie'… Yes, I still hate that word._ _"_ For a moment the girl felt like she was trapped in the dark room again, unconsciously lying on the ground with that psycho smiling and taking pictures of her.

"A dumb word for a wonderful photographic tradition. And Max... has a gift."

" _I wasn't lying when I said you have a gift._ " She could hear the clicking sounds of the fancy camera he was using but her vision was still blurred from the drugs. Finally she managed to snap out from the flashback of that horrible night.

The brunette looked to her right, noticing Kate Marsh who was resting her head on one hand and stared blankly into nothing. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying and the lack of sleep, thanks to her bullies.

_I know_ _exactly how_ _you feel Kate. Don't worry, I won't let you down. Even if I have to let a lot of people die, I will save you, I promise._

"Now Max, since you captured our interest and clearly want to join the conversation, can you please tell us the name of the process that gave birth to the first self-portraits?"

 _Eat shit and die Jefferson!_ Max fought the urge to shout in her helpless fury upon seeing the psycho who almost killed her in an other timeline. But then remembered she have to play by the rules for now, and quickly followed with the correct answer.

"The Daguerreian Process. Invented by a French painter named... Louis Daguerre. Around 1830."

Visibly pleased by the answer the teacher praised the young girl for her research. The brunette ignored the hateful glare from Victoria and started to write notes for her future self to make everything right this time.

_Hello Max! Or should I call you Other Me? I know it will take for a while to digest all of this, but you're a time traveler. The tornado that you saw in your vision is real and it's going to happen this Friday._ _You went back in time to correct your mistakes, so please don't screw this up again. Just make sure you follow everything I wrote down for you, because all the people in Arcadia Bay are in serious danger. You will regain all of your lost memories when the tornado comes. Until then you can always count on Chloe, but be honest with her all the time, and tell her everything about your power. She will trust you and kinda likes you too, I think. In case you mess up anything dont hesitate to use your rewind power. The universe can't be more fucked up than it already is trust me…_

The bell rang a few minutes later and most of the students left the classroom except for Max, Kate and Victoria. The short-haired girl was in a middle of discussion with Jefferson about the photo contest, which the brunette didn't mind as it gave her some time to finish her notes without drawing too much attention to herself. The freckled girl knew, that soon she is going to lose all the memories of this insane week, once she walks out of the classroom since that was the limit of the photo jump now.

She took one last glance at her journal to make sure all the important choices were written down before walking out the room. Or at least that's what she planned when Mr. Jefferson called out for her.

"I see you, Max Caulfield. Don't even think about leaving here until we talk about your entry. I'd never let one of photography's future stars avoid handing in her picture."

_Like I give a rat's ass about this stupid contest anymore. The last thing I need is the company of a serial-killer._

Then she turned back to say the same old lines to Jefferson almost by instinct. "I'm not avoiding, just waiting for the right moment."

"Max, don't wait too long. John Lennon once said…"

_I was so stupid to believe all the crap spilling out from your mouth._

"…'Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.' I know…" The professor looked at the brunette in awe.

"Max, you're on fire today. All the right answers. Good. Make sure you finish working on it by today. I have faith in you. Go on now, don't let me stop you"

_Oh trust me I won't, asshole. You're going to rot in prison. I made sure of that.  
_

The girl stopped in her tracks, looking at the door covered in white fuzz, then she let out an uneasy sigh.

_Here comes nothing. I hope this will be the last reality where I'm heading now. Just… don't panic!_

Max tried to calm herself but it was all in vain, as she started breathing quickly. With a millions of questions and doubts in her heart, she finally took the door handle and stepped through the bright light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: That's it for the first chapter. This is my very first try of writing so bear that in mind. I'm sure there are grammar mistakes here and there, but english is not my native language so please help me out if you find them. :)
> 
> Also, please share your opinions about the story. I can take constructing criticism.


	2. Out of Touch

She woke up in a dark place, opening her eyes to see nothing but pitch-black all around her. The terrified girl slowly stood up, noticing her clothes were drenched by some liquid.

_Calm down, Max! This is just water, right?_ Fearing from the worst, she raised her shaky hand to her nose to have a scent. But it had that awful smell of metal, which she experienced so much ever since her very first rewind.

"This is blood… fuck! What the hell is going on? Where am I?"

_Okay, I have officially gone crazy._

The last thing the brunette remembered is that she left the classroom, in a hope of saving Chloe for good.

_Where did I screw up again?_ She was thinking about where her plan went wrong, when the idea clicked in, resulting in a facepalm.

_I shouldn't have encouraged 'Other me' to use her rewind. And the part about the 'universe can't be more fucked up' is obviously not true. Good job Max!_

The small girl half expected to hear that distinct, evil voice again but everything was deadly silent this time. The best she could hoped for, that this was another nightmare, like the one she had before sacrificing Chloe. Even that one felt so real but this was on a totally different level, like if she would hopped to a long forgotten dimension. As she made the first step ahead, she could hear a loud splash under her feet.

"No, this cannot be real! I'm standing in a pool of blood." Overwhelmed by fear the girl frozen in one place. She didn't know what to do, her mind was clouded by the endless possibilites of whatever this dark place may represent. It could have easily be her guilty conscience or maybe she was lost in time for good.

" _Don't kill us Max!_ "

" _I guess I'll never dance again Max._ "

" _Right when I was about to start a new life in California…_ "

" _Shit, Max! I thought we were on the same team… Now I'll die alone._ "

_"It's ok if I'm gone. I paid my dues. Time to pay yours!"_

" _So this is how Max gets her revenge on._ "

_"Please, don't le me die like this. I'm only eighteen."_

All the voices of Arcadia Bay were haunted her. Their words echoed in her head as she stood blindly in the blood. Then she felt an irresistible rage that was boiling up inside her, ready to explode like a time bomb. It was there growing for a long time, but she kept it under check until this point.

"Fuck the storm! Fuck the people! I don't give a shit about you anymore! In fact I never did!" Screaming with open arms reaching out to nothingness.

The anger went away as quickly as it came, replaced by desperation. Completely broken, Max dropped to her knees with teary eyes, her voice being barely more than a whisper.

"That's what you wanted to hear right? Haven't I suffered enough?"

"I guess not, otherwise I wouldn't be here…" The broken girl let out a sarcastic laugh.

It was like saying the magical words in a fairy tale to open a secret passage. All of a sudden she heared a cracking sound and the fabric of space shattered like broken glass in front of her, making the outlines of a door with blinding white color pouring out from it. The time traveler closed her eyes because she couldn't handle the immediate light. When she opened them again, all she could see was a silhouette of a woman reaching out, pulling her by the hand, towards the light.

* * *

The hipster couldn't believe her eyes at the sudden change of scenery. She was sitting alone in a booth in the Two Whales Diner, her clothes were nice and clean, not being a bloody mess than before. And there was an old catchy song played by the jukebox, which the girl knew was a big hit from the 80's.

_Where is that lady who brought me here?_ But then, her attention was drawn to the music, which sent shivers down her spine in a bad way.

_"'Shake it up is all that we know'"_

_"'Using the bodies up as we go.'"_

_"'I'm waking up to fantasy.'"_

_"'The shades all around aren't the colors we used to see.'"_

Maybe in an another time the girl would have enjoyed listening to it, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the song was about her, manipulating time and space to escape from the mistakes she made.

_This must be another messed up reality, or a piece of time that I got stuck into._

The place was so familiar yet alien at the same time. She looked around, wondering who put the music on, but there wasn't a single soul nearby. The diner always looked so full of life with Joyce making pancakes or taking orders and occasionally scolding some rude truckers. Her warm greeting whenever she saw Max around was something the girl missed gravely now. But in this reality, the whole place was empty like a church on Monday morning. The hipster was shocked when the refrain of the song finally clicked in.

_"'You're out of touch.'"_

_"'I'm out of time.'"_

_"'But I'm out of my head when you're not around.'"_

_"Wait, what? I remember this song, my dad was listening to it all the time on that old vinyl record player, when I was a kid."_

She felt the sting of tears in her eyes, as the song sent her mind wondering back to the days of her childhood, when she was still living with her parents in Arcadia. Max always wanted to live in the 1980s, thanks to all the good music, the movies, clothes and of course the stories that Ryan told her about what was like being young in that era. It felt like a lifetime ago that the brunette last saw her parents. But she couldn't afford daydreaming, since she didn't have a clue what's going on, and who was that woman who dragged her here. Driven by some intuition, she took the exit from the kitchen, leading to the small alley next to the diner. She felt a strong presence close by.

"You seem to be lost my child. Maybe I can help you."

The girl heared a recognizable, tired woman's voice coming from behind. She turned around, only to find out that it belong to the old homeless woman sitting at her usual place. The one who she saved once, or God knows how many times now. Everything felt distorted, like her consciousness would exist in all the timelines at once. She placed both hands on her head, feeling dizzy, as a stream of warmth were gushing out of her nose.

"I remember you… Honey, are you okay? Your nose is bleeding.", said the woman pointing with one finger at her own nose.

The freckled girl cleared her bloody nose with her sleeve, then forced out a smile.

"Yeah… I'm fine… it's just another headache and the nosebleed is… well, I got used to it by now." Yet she couldn't figure out why, because she haven't used her power. The lady just nodded as a response, all knowingly.

"You said you can help me. How? You're not just a homeless lady, are you?"

"Dear child, you're not mistaken. I hope you didn't mind the music though. Ahh… it always takes me back, to remember who I was. In times like these, I need every piece of memory that I can hang on to." Tilting her head up, she went on a nostalgia trip.

"So it was you. I was wondering who have put that on. Just who are you, really? It was you who saved me from the dark place?"

"I see you're eager to know everything young lady. I understand. But I'm afraid giving the answers that you so desire, would do you more harm than good. Believe me when I say that I lived long enough to tell apart bad decisions from the good ones. I really lost my home, you know. I don't belong to anywhere, no family, friends or lovers… I exist… outside of time. But what bothers me the most, is that you are following my footsteps. You still have the chance to make things right, my dear. You just need someone to guide you back on the right path."

The young girl's body tensed up, feeling this conversation won't get her anywhere.

"And that someone would be you? Listen, you don't have to answer my questions. Just get me out of here, please! My best friend needs my help and I'm the only one who can save her."

The old lady furrowed her eyebrows like she didn't like what the girl just said. Then she let out a sigh, standing up slowly, her expression changed to worry as she took a hand on Max's shoulder, looking deeply into her eyes.

"That friend must be very precious to your heart if you ended up here. I can see the good in you, but there's also something gloomy that I can't really put my finger on. " She took her hand off the brunette's shoulder, then reached for a cigarette from her tattered coat.

"Yes… sometimes we save our friends, until we just don't." Her voice being muffled with the cigarette in her mouth when she lit it, not giving specific attention to the freckled girl anymore.

"I suppose you don't smoke," said it with a toothful grin.

"No, I don't think that would help, but thanks. I'm messed up enough as it is." She had to smile a bit, recalling the memory of taking the blame for Chloe's joint.

"About what you said earlier. What were you referring to? Do you blame me for using my power?"

"I don't blame anyone, but myself. The people are selfish by nature, and you're no different Maxine. That's what I meant, basically."

"I know this place isn't real and since you're the only person I found here, you must be connected to it somehow. You said something about… being outside… of time, and that I need guidance."

"There's a big journey ahead of you, child. You are not who you have been and you are not yet who you will become. You're in the in-between."

"I know I'm not feeling like myself for a while, but gosh… Would you stop speaking to me in damn riddles?"

The hipster had tons of questions in her mind, but she knew that asking them wouldn't help much, as all she got so far was way too ambiguous and cryptic. Still, it was obvious that the lady knew more then she lets on.

"Because you're not the person who you used to be. You've changed. You've altered. You've seen things and met people and learned things that have impacted you, in irreversible ways. The passions and dreams you used to have in life, are hopelessly detached from the person you've become."

"Alright… I… still don't have a clue what you're talking about. But I could really use your help now. I don't want to get stuck doing the same thing forever."

The woman shrugged as she lazily dropped the cigarette, stepping firmly on it. "I wanted you to be more comfortable before you go back. But I guess it's no use holding up a facade anymore. Like I said, there's a long road ahead of you. It was great to see you again, Max Caulfield."

The old lady stepped closer to the brunette, touching her shoulders again before she closed her eyes. The world kept getting darker around them, until there was nothing but the black void.

* * *

"Whoa! What? Why did you bring me back here?" asked the terrified girl with a shaky voice. She couldn't feel the grip on her shoulders anymore and her clothes were drenched in blood once again. The girl nearly jumped out of her skin upon suddenly hearing the voice of the homeless woman.

"Listen to me carefully! I can't stay here with you, because it's your own dimension that you unwittingly created." Her voice was getting quieter with every word. " If you ever want to get back to your world, you need to destroy it. It's the only way, trust me my child…"

The hipster couldn't believe what she just heard. _"Not so long ago, I was a normal teenage girl with anxiety problems. But now I can fucking create dimensions by accident?"_ That was too much to process.

"But how? How can I destroy it?" The brunette was breathing quickly, started to panic.

"Please! Answer me!" But there was no response.

She reached out with her right hand, trying to rewind but nothing happened. _"What? I can't even use my powers here?"_

_Okay, get yourself together Max! If I created this dimension, that means I'm the only one who can destroy it, right? Easy peasy!_

Her brain has been swirling around to find a spark of an idea she can hang on to, until she remembered something.

_Wait, my photos are still in my bag, right? Maybe I can just… hop into one of them?_ Then she quickly searched it through, using her phone as a flashlight, only to find that all the photos were blank.

_Damn! I should have known that it won't be that easy. Even the old lady said there's no other way. And here I am, always looking for a shortcut._

_Well, let's look around. Not like there's anything to see, but maybe I will bump into something._ With that in mind, she went ahead hearing nothing just her own breathing and the footsteps in the blood. Somehow she managed to overcome her fears. The fact that she knew this place was her own doing, it took away from it's scariness.

_I feel like I'm in a horror movie. I hope there are no monsters here, though._

The freckled girl could swear that she walked for hours now, until she finally saw the light in the darkness. But for some reason, the brightness always stayed in the same distance. In her frustration, she decided to run, as fast as she could. It's been a long time since the small girl felt this helpless, or perhaps deep down she has always been like that.

Feeling exhausted, the girl stopped, gasping for air. _"Maybe it's just a mirage, like an oasis in the desert. Not like I could tell."_

But the freckled girl still kept going until the sounds of high pitched laughters distracted her.

"Who is there?" Moving with her phone in the direction of the sound to light the way around. Then all of a sudden she found herself standing on a stage with spotlights directed at her, in a roar of applause and cheering.

"How nice of you to finally join us Max! We have been waiting for you, please have a seat."

The young girl who looked exactly like the time traveler, greeted her politely, pointing her finger at the only empty chair in a rows of never ending seats. There was a girl sitting on each chair, every one of them looked identical, except for their clothes and the expressions on their faces.

"What the hell? Why is everyone looking like me? So at that time… No, that can't be…" She covered her mouth in shock. She remembered that angry voice in her head, who were talking to her at the lighthouse.

"This is sick. No way I'm gonna sit here, next to a bunch of me!"

Every Max gave voice to her opinion, as the brunette walked before her 'audience'.

"No, I'm sick of you bitch! I told you girls, she still thinks that she's special…"

"Hey Maxine! Oh, look at you. I think you're ready for the mosh pit. Come here, I'm gonna rock you like a hurricane!" She laughed hysterically.

"You look like shit, photo star! Why don't you take a selfie, huh? At least I got some fame in San Francisco, while you went back to play with Jefferson in the dark room."

"It was fucking time you showed up. Look at me! I'm a corpse because of you. Jefferson framed us well, but at least you escaped right? I hope you like what you see." Her face was barely recognizable from the decomposition, revealing the empty eyesockets and the teeth where the skin was missing. She could see the rotten flesh underneath her ragged black t-shirt. Not to mention the awful smell, as the girl had to look away, resisting the urge of vomiting.

"Hello dumbass! I hope you didn't think that you can run away forever. Don't you remember me? I helped you to make the right decision, until you messed up everything again."

"Oh yeah? How did you help exactly? That fucking tornado was still coming after Chloe was gone, you son of a bitch!" She couldn't stop herself from punching the other Max in the face, who fell over backwards along with the chair. The hipster looked at her damaged knuckles in disbelief. It was a strange feeling, since she had never hurt anyone, physically at least.

"Damn, you're hardcore." The other Max reached for her broken nose, as the blood gushed out of it. Then she pointed her index finger at the time traveler with an evil grin. "Nice work, beating yourself up."

"What are you…" But the real Max couldn't finish her question, because she suffered the same punch that she caused just a few seconds ago, sending her body to the ground. Her double was laughing so hard that she had to hold her stomach.

"I fucking hate you!" She screamed in pain as her nose was broken as well.

"The feeling is mutual. Do you understand now, you dumbass? As much as we hate each other, we're all connected here."

"I might be out of touch but you're out of time, bang!" This version of her was the 13 year old Max with a ponytail, wearing a blue t-shirt and playfully making a gun gesture with her hand.

"How? You're not supposed to be here… "

"Why not? I saved William. I'm a real hero!, " said the little girl cheerfully.

"Yes, you are…" She decided to play along, to avoid conflict.

"Here you are! You left me a fucking note and expected to do the dirty work for you? I can't believe you sometimes." This Max was really pissed at her, as she threw a paper ball to the girl's face.

She picked it up, carefully opened it to see what it was. Just as she feared, it was a torn out page from the journal, with her own notes on it. Her tears were pouring down on her cheeks as the paper fell out from her shaky hands.

"What have you done? Have you… abandoned Chloe?"

"What do you take me for? You have no idea what I've been through this week. And it's all thanks to you and your precious girlfriend. I had the guts to do what's right, when all you did was running away when things turned out bad. And now do you expect me, to let you take over? Hell no! I might be selfish, but not more than you. You know that… I… love her too, even if it's hard for me to admit. Before the storm came, I realized what's gonna happen to me and somehow I managed to close you out of my mind. Chloe actually named me 'Beta-Max'. Can you believe that? But then I collapsed and ended up here…"

"So that's how I got here in the first place. Listen, you're the most… reasonable version of me here. I… totally understand if you're mad at me and you have every reason for that. But I didn't know my powers were working like this. Not like I got a user manual with it, you know."

"That's still no excuse for what you have done to me, and all the others here. The only reason I'm more 'reasonable' is because I just came here not long ago."

"But can you imagine what the other Maxes think of you now? Look at them! I bet most of them would jump down at your throat if we wouldn't be all connected." The other girl waved her hand to the masses.

"They watched you all along, as you made one mistake after the other, just to use your power to 'fix' them. So our numbers kept growing and growing. Damn, you have a whole army of yourself…" The girl let out a loud snort. "I guess you can literally take over the world now."

Right when the hipster wanted to apologize, an another double demanded her attention.

"Hi Mad Max! It was so cool to see your rage earlier. You have finally earned your place among us. Just sit down and enjoy the show. It's starting soon."

"What kind of…" The words stuck in the freckled girl's throat as she saw a huge wall appearing out of the blue, back at the stage. It was covered by some grey fog, until it started to dissolve, emitting vibrating colors from it.

"It's our only way to see the outside world, and one of us can use it to communicate with the real Max through it. The one that you just punched earlier…"

"That explains why I only heard her voice in my head but not the others."

_Thank God she's the only one who can contact me… Otherwise, I would have gone crazy a long time ago._

The other Max continued. "But since you're here, your physical body must be unconscious. Let's have a look."

The colors coagulated on the wall, looking like a plasma screen. The brunette saw a desperate blue haried punk, holding her lifeless body in her arms. "Follow my voice Max! I'm here for you. I… need you, more… than… ever. Please… come back to me!" Chloe's tears were dropping on the freckled girl's cheeks, but the rain quickly washed them away. The punk was at the brink of collapse herself, quietly sobbing, as she buried her face in the chest of her best friend.

"Oh no! I have to get back somehow. Look at Chloe, she looks so…"

"Fucked up? Yeah, that's right. She was always like that though. No big deal. I just wish she would disappear from our life for good."

Her evil double was standing next to her as well, as she looked at the punk with furrowed eyebrows. The time traveler noticed her clenched fist.

_Why does she hate her so much? She is like… ready to… punch her._

"Why do you hate her so much? She is our best friend."

"Our best friend, huh? So are you trying to bond with me now? Spare me your pity. My nose still hurts like hell, but at least you finally experienced the repercussions of your actions."

"Look, I won't pretend that I don't hate you. Because I do. But I hate myself just as much, if that makes any sense."

"Well, you're the source of all the messed up shit here. But all of this wouldn't have happened if you could let her go. Have you ever thought about what your life would be without her? Without all these stupid powers, messing up time and space. You could have been a famous photographer like you always dreamed of. But you gave up everything… for her. She dragged you down with herself. You'll never be the same again, and you know it."

"What if I told you that I don't want to be my old self again? I've been through so much and made a lot of mistakes, but now I can safely say that saving Chloe wasn't one. Even if it cost me dearly, before I could even realize it. But I love her… I always have. All I want is to be with her."

"You see, that's exactly my problem with you. Love makes you reckless and selfish. Maybe if I wasn't the very first who you left behind… then I could see things differently. But we can't change that now."

"So that's why you're the only one who can speak to my mind?"

"I guess. Since I was there with her… in the bathroom. Having to watch her bleeding on the floor..."

The brunette had to think for a while to not say anything that would piss her off even more. But at least she was beginning to understand the cold nature of her evil double.

"I don't have much time left… as funny as it sounds. I know that I need to go back now or else…"

"Worst case scenario is that you will end up as a vegetable. Not like you don't deserve it, but I would get hella bored if…"

"Hella? You're not as tough as you make it sound after all." Max laughed at the major slip-up of her counterpart.

"Shut up! I watched you two for so long, that it stuck on me. I still hate that word… And one day she's going to destroy-"

But she couldn't finish the sentence as the time traveler throw herself at her, holding in a tight hug.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Forgive me… I… was so selfish. I played with my power… without ever thinking of the consequences. You only wanted to help me, and I hated you for it. But I can't let her go… not anymore… And I know that deep inside you love her too. We want the same thing right? Don't you want to be happy instead of feeling depressed forever? Come with me, she's waiting for us."

"You… won this time, dumbass. But I swear… if you ever leave me behind again…"

"I learned my lesson the hard way. Don't worry, I'll never abandon any of you again." As she spoke the words, the evil Max's body started to dissolve, until it vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind.

She just noticed that all the other Maxes surrounded her in a circle formation. They were all puzzled not fully understanding what just happened. As they whispered to each other in fear and grief, like they would have lost a very special someone.

"Don't be afraid. She came back to me, where she belongs. You all are. You have suffered enough. It's time to leave this place once and for all."

"Is that so?" Beta-Max stepped out from the masses, looking straight into the eyes of the time traveler.

"Who's to say that you're the real thing? Because you claim to be so? Don't you think I deserve a chance with Chloe since I finished your job?"

"Yeah, she's right! Don't listen to her lies!" It seemed as if they already found their new leader. They formed a chain, every one of them were holding each other's hands.

"Why do you say that? It's not like you would die upon returning to my body, since you're a part of me like everybody here. You should know this better than anyone."

"I can't tell if you got wiser from the other you, or you just take me for a fool. I know that I will lose myself if I join you."

"Is everyone ready?" She waited for an answer before touching the nearest Max's hand at the end of the chain.

"But one smaller girl, in a blue t-shirt run to the time traveler instead. I know it's not much but I choose you. You look like someone I can trust." She took her hand strongly.

"I can't be thankful enough. You're so brave." The hipster could fondle the head of her younger self a bit, before the little girl faded as well.

"So be it. Strength in numbers right?" She touched the hand that was reaching out for her, when all of the Maxes started to disappear one by one. It took a whole minute for all of them to vanish.

"Now it's just the two of us."

"What do we do now? Fight each other to the death? Or talk until one of us dies from dehydration?"

"It looks like your sense of humour is back, I'll give you that. But I have the upper hand now. All I have to do is absorb you and I can go back to my Chloe."

"You mean… to our Chloe. Look, I still believe there's a peaceful solution to this."

"Whatever… the tables are turned. Here I come!"

From the real Max point of view, it seemed like her other self just teleported right in front of her. Before she could do anything, Beta-Max was already holding her tight with full force.

_"Oh, shit! How can she use her powers here? I know I couldn't when I tried not so long ago. But since then I… changed. Still I can't use my hands like this."_

She tried to escape from her grip, but all the efforts were to no avail. as she slowly felt losing consciousness. As a last resort she planned out something.

_"This is going to hurt, but I'm out of options."_

"Take this!" Beta-Max fell on her back screaming in pain, as her opponent headbutted her to the face.

The real Max knew there's a short delay until the damage gets reflected on her.

_"Here comes nothing!"_

She reached out with her right hand, until she could see Beta-Max stopped moving, still laying on the ground, completely frozen in time. The time traveler tried to move as fast as she could in this state, as she threw herself on the other Max, holding her firmly.

"How is this possible? I absorbed everyone, except for those two. And you're still stronger than me?"

Beta-Max was covered in a red aura, not ready to acknowledge her defeat yet. Even though her body finally started to dissolve.

"You still don't understand, do you? I'm not strong-" But as it was to be expected, the headbutt she gave earlier, got reflected on her. She was rolling on the ground in pain, covering her face with both hands.

"Geez, it hurts like hell! I'm sorry I did that to you… I'm sorry for everything. But you'll get the happiness you deserve, I promise."

The reddish girl could barely stand up, partly from the headbutt, but mostly from the dissolving. Her skin became like onion, shredded in layers as she approached the real Max.

Her voice sounded distorted, barely recognizable. "Please take care… of our Chloe. I won't… forgive you… if something bad… happens to her."

She reached after her with one hand to pull her up from the ground, but their hands could never meet as she vanished completely. The brunette could feel the oceans of emotions that were flowing through her soul, threatening to tear her body apart in any second. The hipster was convinced that all of her inner selfs were still fighting each other to break free. But it lasted only for a few seconds, until everything was calm and silent.

Finally the exhausted girl stood up, which took more effort than she thought, looking at her hands first, then on the screen, with a still desperate and broken Chloe on it. The lyrics of the song came to her mind.

_"You're out of touch, I'm out of time."_

_"But I'm out of my head when you're not around."_

The time traveler rushed to the screen, her heart kept beating faster, as her eyes were filled with tears.

"I'm here Chloe!" With that said, the girl touched the wall of screen, which became liquid upon the contact of her fingers. There was a small resistance, but Max could press her body through, until it swallowed her completely. The stage became like a graveyard along with the endless rows of chairs before it. The fabric of space cracked at one point, until the whole place began to break apart, like it wanted to collapse from it's own weight. After a short time there was nothing left of this dimension, and a bright white light took it's place. There was a lady in black, who stood there in the middle of nowhere.

"I see you finally managed to overcome your inner demons, young lady. I'm proud of you, but I hope we'll never meet again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter took me a lot of time to write, as I bit off more than I could chew. I didn't want it to have an abrupt ending so it ended up being much longer than I planned. I had a hard time to avoid repeating the names at some parts, because the story kinda demanded it to be that way. Also I wanted to stress out, how important was it for Max to finally face her demons in the image of the other Maxes. But her journey just started, so there will be many more exciting things awaiting for her, I can promise that. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and feel free to share your thoughts about it. I'm all ears, as always. :)
> 
> As an important note: The name "Beta-Max" was something that I have read in IsraelBlargh's fanfic, called Better Then. It's one of my all time favorites on this site, I hope it's not a sin to borrow from it. The credit goes to him of course.


	3. New Dawn Fades

**Arcadia Bay: Blackwell Academy Parking Lot**

**October 11th, 2013 20:10 pm**

They heard the buzzing sound of a helicopter circling above the wreckage with it's searchlights on. Despite the immense destruction inflicted upon Arcadia, the massive building of Blackwell Academy was mostly intact except for the damaged roof and broken windows. Its sturdy walls withstood the trials of nature unlike the regularly built houses which were completely eradicated by the storm. Max made sure to follow every instruction her future self left to her, except the one that suggested the Prescott bunker for shelter. Prior to the storm, the girl had visions about being trapped in the dark room, so they both agreed to find a safe place in Blackwell instead. The search after the survivors has started by government officials as the place was safe to approach again. Several medical tents have been set up around the school, where all the injured people got their treatment. Even the parking lot was full with them, where they stood amongst the groans of pain and suffering, arguing to convince the other without any progress.

"Chloe, can I talk to my daughter in private?" Vanessa Caulfield stepped closer to the punk, her tone was being sincere this time. She was exhausted from the long journey but the fear that her only daughter could have been among the casualties took more out of her than she thought. They had to leave their car at the outskirts of Arcadia, since the roads were fully covered with debris and upturned vehicles. Ryan kept reassuring her that Max is going to be fine but that wasn't enough as they saw too many injured and dead people on the way. The worrying mother noticed that something is not right with her daughter but she couldn't explain the reason behind it. Like the Max that left her home to study in Blackwell became a different person. She knew that Chloe was her best friend five years ago, but she didn't expect her daughter to rebel against their will to take her home. As a last resort she tried to speak with Max in private, hoping that she can still convince her, if Chloe is not present.

"Erhm… sure… but…" The punk's voice was trembling from the worry and hesitation until she saw the brunette's clenched fist, which was a sign of her disapproval.

"No, stay here Chloe! You need to hear this." The time traveler was determined to stand her ground no matter what. They have spent the whole week together and warned as much people of the tornado as they possibly could. Their biggest help in this was Juliet Watson, since she knew someone from the local radio station to broadcast an emergency message just a few hours before the storm. Much to their relief, most people took the warning seriously, and left the town or found some shelter to hide. But those who didn't were badly injured or ended up in a body bag. They found David the most difficult to convince of the incoming danger as he thought it's just a prank. But luckily Joyce stood up to them, so he didn't have much of a saying after that. He came up with the idea of hiding in Principle Wells office which proved to be safe, after they barricaded the windows. In the week before the disaster, Max stopped going to classes because she couldn't pretend that everything is okay and knowing that time is working against her. After David busted Jefferson and Chloe learned about Rachel's fate she was always there to comfort her. When the punk asked her to stay for the night she didn't hesitated to do so. She tried to convince herself that their friendship is just strong and there's nothing else to it until the day before the storm. They were getting ready to pack their things and go to Blackwell when suddenly Chloe kissed her briefly. Fearing it would ruin their friendship, she pulled back from it but Max quickly returned the kiss which surprised the bluenette but most of all she was happy that her feelings were reciprocated. Since that day they became inseparable.

"I'm sorry Mom but you're delusional if you think I would abandon Chloe again. I won't make the same mistake as five years ago. You have no idea how much I regret doing that to her."

She remembered their departure in 2008, when Max left her best friend when she needed her the most. It's not like she could do anything against her parents decision being only a child back then, but knowing that didn't ease the pain over her guilty conscience. However, she became an adult now who had the right to make her own decisions. The punk looked at her partner in admiration upon hearing those words but it only got Vanessa angry.

"Maxine Caulfield! Your stubbornness knows no bounds. Since when you got so attached to Chloe? You never mentioned her name while you were living with us in Seattle."

Her last sentence left it's mark in the freckled girl because she knew it was true, but it hurt Chloe a lot more as her expression revealed the sadness. But her mother didn't stop there.

"Or did she threaten you with something? Please tell us what happened to you honey. You have… changed…"

_Mom, I wish I could tell you everything… But why do you assume that Chloe would threaten me? That's ridiculous even from you._

"You would never understand. We have been through a lot together this week... "

Max gently took her girlfriend's hand and continued.

"And we not only rekindled our friendship but… we realized there's… more to it."

Her mother's face lost it's color for a moment, while she tried to cover the initial shock with her hand.

"Honey, are you sure about this? I know we raised you to be open-minded but I never thought you would end up like this…"

"End up like what? I don't know what I am, only that I love her! I was hoping you would understand…"

Vanessa stopped with her reasoning as she gave an inquiring glare at her husband who was silent all this time. "Ryan, help me out already! Do you approve this?"

He cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable with the situation.

"It's been a long time since I saw you this determined Maxine so I won't try to change your mind. But me and your mother would like to keep you safe. We can find you girls a flat in Seattle if-"

"That's not gonna happen Ryan!" She interrupted her husband, giving a disapproving look.

Max ignored her mother's rant. "Thanks for the offer Dad, but I already made my decision of moving to Portland with Chloe's parents. It's only temporary until we find a place for ourselves there. But I promise I will keep in touch."

"Well… as long as you're happy together… I don't have any objections. Chloe, take care of my daughter."

"Will do, Sir!," said the surprised bluenette with a cheerful smile on her face.

"Thanks Dad! You're the best!" Max ran to her father to give him a hug.

Vanessa scolded him for not standing out for her. "You can't be serious Ryan! Think the future of our daughter for once! What kind of father are you?"

Chloe answered instead of him. "One who puts his daughter's happiness first."

She was thankful that Ryan took their side. He was always more compliant when it came to his daughter's wishes, reminding Chloe to her deceased father in a way.

Vanessa didn't like what she just heard. "Correct me if I'm wrong young lady but I don't remember asking for your opinion. I can already tell you made a bad influence on my Maxine with your self-destructive nature. I could barely recognize you. William would turn in his grave seeing you like this. And do you expect me to let her go with you?"

"Mom… please stop that!" The brunette knew her mother went too far.

Mentioning her dead father was the last straw for Chloe as she pinched her eyebrows sharply together. "No offense, Mrs. Caulfield, but you don't know shit about my dad nor about me. So I'd advise you to shut up before I say something I'll regret."

"Did… did I hear that right?" The punk girl's words hit her hard, as she needed some time to recover. "You've a sharp tongue for a…"

"Alright, it's enough!" Ryan interrupted their argument by standing between them.

"Do you even listen to yourself Vanessa? Come, let's talk this over when you calmed down."

With that said, Ryan pulled his wife away from the girls before she would make the situation even worse. They could still hear Vanessa muttering under her breath but her voice got more silent as they walked away.

Chloe watched them as they slowly disappeared from her sight. "Fuck… that escalated quickly. Your mother was right about me though. I'm so messed up… Are you mad at me Maxaroni?"

"Of course I'm not… She said very mean things to you. You didn't deserve that." The brunette embraced her waist while she was looking in the distance. "And you can't be more messed up than me…" Her eyebrows lowered, resulting a sad expression as she was about to say what weighs her mind. "My future me said I'd get back my lost memories by now but I still can't remember anything…" She looked at the bluenette expecting some hint. "What does that mean Chloe?"

"I'll be damned if I know. Maybe you just need more time… Ehrm… sorry that came out hella wrong."

"Yeah… I don't even want to think about it."

_Why do I feel like I'm running out of time? The storm did it's thing… Arcadia is gone. Not like I could have prevented it anyway. I saved whoever I could… I'm not gonna guilt-trip myself for that. But Chloe is alive and we are together. That's what I wanted right? Or I just did what I was told to do?_

These lingering questions have been left unanswered as Chloe distracted her train of thought.

"Ground control to Beta-Max! Are you still here?"

"Please don't call me like that! That's not funny at all…" She berated her partner in crime. She hated the idea of being only a substitue for her future self, even if it made perfect sense. And not knowing what's going to happen when she reclaims those lost memories was terrifying to her.

"Sorry about that Max. I just wanted to cheer you up, but you know me… I'm always hella inconsiderate without realizing it." The time traveler couldn't be angry at her. Most of the time she only feigned offense to make Chloe apologize.

"It's okay Chlo, I'm partly to blame."

"Ready to go now? Mom and Sgt. Pepper must have been waiting for us now. I hope we can finally leave this place tomorrow. The authorities said the roads will be cleared by then."

"Lead me the way, you dork.," said the brunette with a wide, beaming smile on her face.

* * *

The sun has risen and illuminated the freckled girl's cheeks, who slowly opened her dreamy eyes. She could hear the birds singing outside and a couple of car horns through the half opened window, letting in a cacophony of ambient sounds.

_Where am I?_

_Am I finally back? Is Chloe… being here with me?_

She noticed a vivid blue color in her peripheral vision only to find a sleeping Chloe next to her bed, leaning against the wall while sitting in a chair, with it's two front legs lifted from the floor. Without her beanie on it's place, the blue waves of messy hair could be seen, making a sharp contrast to the surrounding white walls around them. Max couldn't be happier at the sight of her best friend, after living through so many painful events just to get her back.

_Why does she looks so beautiful? Even now, with the dark circles under her eyes she looks like my guardian angel. And those sweet lips, I wish I could taste them again…_

The hipster blushed thinking of the kiss from another reality. It wasn't even a real kiss, but she played that scene in her head so many times, that it burnt into her brain forever. But aside from the punkster, there wasn't many things in the room which could have cheer up the brunette, let alone the reeks of chemicals in the air. She looked around in the small white painted place, which strongly resembled to a hospital room.

_Things never go as I planned. I thought I'll wake up in Chloe's arms but now I don't even know where is this place. But my instincts telling me that we're not in Arcadia..._

A strong pain have spread out in her elbow pit as she tried to get up from the bed. She looked at her exposed arm, to find an intravenous catheter was inserted to her vein. But it wasn't connected to the IV bag anymore.

_Shit! I must have been passed out for long. The journey in my own dimension really took it's toll on me. I can only hope that place doesn't exist anymore._

The bluenette was still sleeping peacefully in her uncomfortable position, but Max didn't want to wake her up. Instead, she stood up and decided to walk over to the window to get some fresh air. But it took more effort than she would have thought, feeling dizzy from the medications the doctors pumped into her. The view to outside was unfamiliar, along with all the ambulance cars parking in the courtyard.

_I wonder who survived the storm. I think Joyce and David are okay. If 'Beta-Max' followed my instructions, they should be alive. But regarding the others I don't know…_

She remembered someone very special to her. _Kate! I… I have to know if she survived. I made a promise to save her._

Not like she would have used her powers to bring her back, since she was too afraid of the consequences after seeing the dark place. The best she could hoped for is that her counterpart saved her. Max reached for her phone laying on the bedside cabinet and checked the current time first.

**10/19/2013 6:05 am**

_Oh gosh. Is it Saturday already? Time travel really fucks with my head. Let's figure this out… Looks like I slept through a day, although I can't really call that sleeping._

The freckled girl slapped herself in the forehead when realized what's going on.

_It all makes sense now. When I arrived to this timeline the other me closed me out of her consience somehow and I… must have passed out. But wait… Does that mean that Beta-Max could spend two weeks with Chloe without having to search for Rachel? I don't blame her for the hostility towards me but… I can't stop feeling jealous at her. Or at myself? Argh… this is so wrong._

She searched through the messages, to find any clues that Kate is fine and well, when her eyes caught something.

'Kate Marsh - 1 new message.'

Excitement and fear has taken over the girl, as she opened the discussion.

**Max 10/10/2013 5:42 pm**

**Listen to me, Kate! It's the last time I'm warning you. The storm will come and you're gonna die if you stay. Catch the bus and get out of town. NOW!**

**Kate 10/11/2013 3:35 pm**

**Max! You were right all along! I'm so sorry that I have ever doubted in you. I went back to my parents as you asked. I just watched the news and it's horrible what happened to Arcadia Bay. I'll pray for your safety.**

_Thank God you're alive Kate. The town is no more... But I should let her know that I'm okay._

She was relieved to know that Kate is alive and well, ignoring everything else in her phone, until she saw all the missed calls and the unread messages from her parents.

_Damn, how could I forget about you guys? You must have been worried sick about me._

She felt guilty for not even thinking about them in the first place.

**Mom 10/11/2013 11:28 am**

**Honey! Why don't you answer to our calls? Me and your father are worried to death about you. Please give me a call or at least send a text when you get this message. We love you!**

**Dad 10/11/2013 2:45 pm**

**Maxine. Pop here. We just got the news about that crazy tornado. We're packing our stuff now, ready to get you. Please let us know if you get this message. Love, Pop**

_I have to tell them that I'm 'fine'. But what should I say to them? That I ended up in a hospital after having a mental breakdown? They would want to take me back to Seattle… but I can't let hat happen. I want to stay with Chlo-_

Chloe's tired voice distracted her train of thought.

"Max? Where did you-?" She psyched out for a moment, jumping up from her seat, looking at the empty bed. But the punk relieved quickly upon seeing the brunette standing in front of the window, who looked so fragile in her hospital gown. Both girls released a collected breath and rushed into each other's arms for a tight, long lasting embrace. The time traveler realized how much she craved for the closeness of the punk's body, even with her smoke saturated clothes it was like a dream come true for the smaller girl. Despite all of this, it surprised even herself, when she was the one pulling away first from the hug.

"I did so much to bring you back, Chloe…" said the freckled girl in a faltering voice.

But she got a flashback mid-sentence, they were standing at the beach in Arcadia Bay, while the tornado was headed for the city. The bluenette gave her a searching gaze, desperate to find some comfort in her best friend's words.

"…and it worked. It actually worked."

_No, that was another reality. I'm not… we're not there anymore._

"Max, you're still tripping…" the bluenette's voice was full of worry. "Like yesterday, before you passed out. You totally freaked me out. I… I didn't know what to do, I was so helpless."

"Chloe, you have to tell me everything." She gently touched the other girl's wrist, pulling her to the bed to sit down. "I can't remember anything that happened this week… I mean… in the past two weeks actually. But what's more important is that… Joyce and David… please tell me…"

"They're fine Maxi. " Chloe lets out a puff of air which says otherwise. "Well, except the trauma my mother went through when she saw our house leveled to the ground. But Step-dork is there for her. He's tough as nails, sometimes it surprises me how is he doing it. We tried to warn as many people as we could Max…" She shook her head with disapproval, "…but that wasn't enough…"

"I'm so sorry Chloe…" The brunette noticed only now that she is still holding her best friend's hand but Chloe was comfortable with it as she looked deeply into her eyes.

_Damn. I think Beta-Max spent more time with her than I ever did. I wonder where we stand now…_

Since they didn't search for Rachel, as they already knew about her fate. But she felt it's not the right time for a mushy moment because she needed to know what happened.

"It must have been tough for you to handle all of this. But where are we now?"

"In Portland, state hospital. My mom and Sgt. Pepper rented a flat just a few streets away. It's a shithole to be honest, but at least we have a place to go."

The time traveler raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Portland?" She finally took her eyes off from the blue haired girl, tilting her head down to stare at nothing in particular. "I'm sorry to cause you trouble... I hate being a burden to you…"

Chloe glides her hand on the back of Max's to comfort her. "Don't say that Maxaroni! If anyone is a burden that would be me. You had to save my ungrateful ass over and over again… I have a feeling I said this before, but being together is the best thing I could have hoped for. Except for what happened to Rachel…"

Of course, for Chloe the death of Rachel was devastating but not to Max, she just couldn't help but felt unsensible about her fate. She didn't know her but it wasn't only for that. Reliving the same week countless times even if being unaware of it most of the time, made her cold on the inside. Still, her feelings towards Chloe remained the same if not even stronger. At this point it was obvious that she was deeply in love with her, but she didn't know if the punk would reciprocate her feelings. She raised her head and their eyes met once again.

The words came automatically, which surprised even the freckled girl. "What do I mean to you Chloe? I would like to hear an honest answer. I won't be mad or disappointed if you…"

The answer came sooner than she had expected. The bluenette quickly closed the distance between them and gently touched Max's red cheeks with both hands until their lips met in a passionate kiss. This was nothing like the dare kiss that Max had a fond memory of and not even like their departing one at the lighthouse. She wanted to stay in this moment forever, feeling the electricity in the air around them.

"Woah…" That was all the brunette could muster in response as she was still savoring the sweet taste and softness of Chloe's warm lips.

"Honest enough for you Maxipad?," the punk asked her with a seductive grin.

The time traveler punched her on the shoulder playfully. "You're such a dork… but you're my dork."

The punk changed her posture like she just remembered something. "Now that Beta-Max is gone... you've changed. It's a silly name I came up with when she… I mean… when you told me about your time travel powers. You hated it, but I still kept using it from time to time cause I enjoyed how hard you tried to be angry at me, but you just couldn't." She slowly caressed her partner's face while she could hear the rise in Max's breathing, before continued.

"I know there's still a glimpse of the old you, but being more distant. I can't find the right words to describe it. Please whatever you do, just don't use your powers anymore… I'm so afraid of losing you, Max." Chloe's expression changed to worry, like she could have started to cry in any second.

"I know exactly how you feel, Chlo. I really felt like I'm not myself anymore, but that's over… I have been at a horrible place while I was unconscious… I don't even want to talk about it, at least not yet. And I promise I won't use my powers, unless I have to save you again."

_I hope I will get Beta-Max memories soon. It's a mistery why I still can't remember those._

The sound of the turning door knob distracted them as a man in white coat stepped in the room. He gave a curious look to the girls while adjusting his glasses as they slid down his nose.

"I'm glad to see you awake, Maxine. My name is Dr. Hartley and I'm a neurologist. As much as I hate to bring bad news, I'm going to cut straight to the point. We had to find the reason of the symptoms you're suffering from, so we have put you through an MRI scan."

He calmly reached for the dossier that was clutched under his armpit and showed the films to the freckled girl, pointing at a highlighted place on the picture.

"What you see here is bleeding in your brain tissues. It's located in the hippocampus which is responsible for processing and storing new memories. In other words, you had a hippocampal stroke. So I'm afraid the chances are high that it resulted in a partial memory loss. We don't know how severe it is yet, so it would be best for you to rest some more. We'll keep you under observation for a couple more days before letting you go."

Max looked blankly at the films like she was somewhere else. Then she turned towards Chloe, who was already fighting with her tears.

_So this is the price I have to pay if I'm messing around with time. And here I thought my sufferings ended, but it looks like they just started..._

She noticed the man was expecting some kind of response to what he just said earlier. "That explains why I can't remember the past two weeks…" The doctor's words didn't struck her as much, as she felt that something went horribly wrong, ever since she started using her power.

Dr. Hartley looked at the punk who covered her mouth in shock. "Your friend… Chloe was it? Sorry, I'm terrible with names." He scratched his white-haired beard wondering if his memory had failed him, but Chloe approved it with a quick nod.

"Well, she mentioned you had serious headaches and nosebleeds recently. You should have take those signs more seriously. The stroke could have been possibly avoided if you come for a check up sooner."

Chloe snapped at him as her frustration grew. "Possibly huh? You either know this or not. Stop guilt-tripping her, doc. It's not like you know anything about her."

_"I did know! …But I kinda forgot."_

_What? Do I hear voices in my head again?_ Max was terrified as she felt like sliding back in time.

_"You either know this or not, Max. Is there anybody here who knows their stuff?"_

As the time traveler looked at the doctor, his face took the shape of Jefferson's for a moment, who gave a creepy smile to her.

_What's happening? This is all in my head!_

_"Shh, I believe Max has taken what you kids call a 'selfie'…"_

"Go away! I don't want to go back! No!"

The punk girl held her partner's shoulders, trying to calm her down. "Everything is alright, Max! I'm right here!"

"My power is working on it's own Chloe! I can't… control it… any- more…" She felt her voice getting weaker with each word but couldn't help it.

Her vision was blurred, not being able to see the faces but she could still hear their voices. "She's having a panic attack, lay her down! Breath slowly Maxine, take a deep breath!"

"Oh god… her nose is bleeding again… You're stronger than this, Maxi! Fight against it!"

The punk could see Max's mouth moving, trying to form the words but she lost her voice completely. "Chloe… I'm so sorry… it's all my fault..." The world slowly faded away and everything was silent, which filled her with happiness she never experienced before.

* * *

"People of the Vortex Club! Everybody raise your hands in the air. Make some noise… for the legendary Green Velvet! Let me hear ya!"

The mass went crazy as they heard their favorite DJ's music. Max found herself standing in the middle of the crowd and felt her pulse quickening as the loud bass music filled the club. The dance floor was fully packed with underaged boys and girls having fun. Some of the partiers were dancing in the pool lacking clothes with glow sticks in their hands.

_This can't be happening. I went back in time but how far back? This is not the Vortex Club party I remember. Also what's with the music? Shitty house and techno all the way. No wonder I have never been to parties like this. And of course, I can't stand the crowd._

More questions popped in her mind as she went on, looking for answers.

_So why am I here? What do I have to do this time?_

The hipster squeezed herself through the crowd while looking around in a hope to find familiar faces, but she didn't see any. The flashing lights made their look somewhat mysterious.

_I just hope I won't run into Nathan or even worse…_

Even in her thoughts, she felt disgusted by him, not to mention the once deeply adored art teacher. Finally she reached the VIP section, as she expected to find some answers there.

_Let's see how this goes… It worked like a charm last time, but only because I licked Courtney's ass to get in._

"Oh, you must be the new girl around here. I was wondering when you would show up." A smiling, brown haired girl greeted her at the reception desk.

"What? Do you know me?" The time traveler didn't recognize the girl so she could be only guessing about the reason of the warm welcome.

"Ha, like I'd not know! Everybody is talking about you, Maxine Caulfield. Enjoy yourself!" With that being said, she signaled the security guy with her hand to let her in.

The VIP crowd wasn't any different from the other, as far as Max could tell. She divided them into two groups, to dancers and drinkers. Little did she know that soon she'll discover the third group. She found a safe heaven from all her anxiety, which was the restroom for now. The girl washed her face and looked into the mirror.

_What the…?_

Her own looks caught the freckled girl off guard, as she was wearing a punk rock style outfit, and her hair was dyed to cherry red. She carefully touched the silky lines and decided to like it after all.

_And I'm wearing makeup?_

Lots of it actually, as the freckles on her face were barely visible. Max could have count the times when she used makeup in her life. A few occasions her classmates in Seattle forced her to do it before going to a school ball, but even then she didn't feel like herself. She was never the type to bother too much with her looks.

_I don't belong here that's for sure. But I'm not here to study my looks. Also, where is my shoulder bag? I know I would always carry my camera around. Looks like this version of me doesn't like photography…_

Before she could sink deeper into her thoughts, a loud noise of a slamming door disturbed her. It revealed a staggering, visibly drunk student coming in singing cheerfully.

"I'm goooiiing dooown to Laaaa-Laaaa-Laaand!"

The boy with glasses could barely stand on his feet, forcing Max to realize there's a third group in her labeling, the stoned ones. She couldn't help but giggle on the thought.

"Get your drunk ass out here asshole! This is the girl's restroom!" A short haired blond girl stepped out from the stalls to scold him when he opened the door on her.

"Chill out Vic… I'm ash sober ash 'm gonna git. I wash lookin' for Raaechel." The boy tried to calm down the blonde girl who was angry at him.

"She's not here, so get lost!" The girl grabbed his shoulders to push him out the restroom.

"Gerroff me! Ya know she's better than you and there's nuffink you can do 'boutit." he said, as the girl pushed him out the door.

_At least Victoria haven't changed a bit._ Max thought, as she witnessed the quarrel between them.

_Wait… Did he say Rachel? Is this some kind of sick joke? Now I really have to find some answers._

The queen-bee pivoted in her spot and took a glance at Max from top to toe, until she cleared her throat to get the brunette's attention who was spacing out.

"Erhm… I haven't seen you around here before, but I can already tell you'll fit right in, just by looking at you. I'm Victoria Chase, a name you must have heard by now. And that dizzy fellow was Justin … drunk and probably high as always…"

"I'm…" She stopped for a moment hesitating to tell her name, but she didn't find any reason not to. "Maxine Caulfield, but I prefer to be called just Max."

"Welcome to the Vortex Club… Maxine." The pixie-cut girl let out a snort of laughter, making it obvious that she said it intentionally. "Now go and party like it's your last day on earth."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First of all, I apologize keeping you waiting for so long. Real life always got in the way, either in the form of work or just me being clueless about how I should continue the story. It was hard to focus on writing in the past two month, but I plan to publish my chapters more frequently in the future.
> 
> I would like to give some credit to bigb3ar-2nd who helped me tremendously in my writing. Thanks for your support and being a good friend! :)
> 
> As always, any reviews or feedbacks are greatly appreciated.


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